Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

DLUHC Update

Michael Gove: One of the Prime Minister’s top priorities is growing the economy, spreading opportunity right across the country. Levelling Up is central to that mission. Today I am delighted to update the House on further progress being made to deliver the right foundations for growth through increased innovation, strong local leadership, and pride in place for communities.First, on Investment Zones. This country has no shortage of growth industries, whether in advanced manufacturing, renewable industries or life sciences. And we have no shortage of world-class universities. But where we have underperformed is leveraging the success of these industries and research to support growth across the whole country. That is my guiding mission for Investment Zones. We will shortly begin a process to identify where Zones will be located, guided by three principles. First, that government cannot create clusters, but it can create the conditions for them to succeed. Second, success requires fiscal support, but also a wider range of interventions, whether land assembly, housing, transport, or skills, to tackle the specific barriers each cluster faces to growth. And third, that can only happen in partnership with strong local leadership over the long-term.Second, on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Working with BEIS, DEFRA, DFT and HMT we are modernising the approach to major projects and we will shortly publish an Action Plan setting out reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime that will streamline and speed up the consenting process. These important reforms will boost investor confidence in major infrastructure and help Government to improve energy security, achieve net zero and deliver the transport connectivity, water and waste management facilities this country needs.Third, on backing local leadership to regenerate their local areas. I am today announcing that I will shortly lay before Parliament secondary legislation setting up two new mayoral development corporations in Tees Valley. These will drive a major regeneration of Hartlepool and Middlesbrough town centres and attract businesses and people back to these centres making them vibrant, safe, and pleasant places in which to live and work. We are also in talks with both Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to strengthen the hands of both mayors. We are exploring options to devolve more power, including in areas like housing, to these Combined Authorities. Further details will be set out in the trailblazer devolution deals that will be published in due course. Alongside this, as part of our national reforms to ensure that all homes are free from the types of poor conditions and hazards that led to the tragic death of Awaab Ishak, I am today announcing £30 million to support the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authorities to support improvements in the quality of social housing in their areas.Fourth, as we take steps to devolve more power to local leaders we are also backing this with clear accountability. We announced in the Levelling Up White Paper that we would establish a new Office for Local Government (Oflog), which will empower citizens to hold local leaders to account, while supporting local leaders to innovate and drive self-improvement. I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Lord (Amyas) Morse to the position of interim Chair of the Office for Local Government. Lord Morse brings to the role a wealth of experience in public sector service delivery and performance, and will provide independent advice, support and challenge to OfLog’s strategic vision, functions and delivery. My department will shortly recruit for a new Chief Executive for this important body.Fifth, to level up truly we must also ensure that people feel safe in their communities. We know that this is a real priority for our communities who want strong, practical action to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Graffiti, vandalism, disorder and evidence of drug use makes daily life a misery. Indeed, for many, tackling this blight is a prerequisite to levelling up. This requires a multifaceted response. Working with the Home Office, Department for Education and Ministry of Justice, we will shortly announce plans that will deliver for communities, giving them the confidence that the places they love can and will be protected and enhanced.

Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19 Vaccination Update

Maria Caulfield: Since the first Covid-19 vaccine was authorised for use in the UK in December 2020, the aim of the Covid-19 vaccination programme has been, and continues to be, the reduction of severe disease (hospitalisation and mortality) across the population, whilst protecting the NHS.The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has provided interim advice on the 2023 Covid-19 vaccination programme for planning purposes.The JCVI’s interim advice is that:1. in autumn 2023, persons at higher risk of severe Covid-19 would be offered a booster vaccine dose in preparation for winter 2023/24;2. in addition, for a smaller group of persons (such as persons of older age and those who are immunosuppressed) an extra booster vaccine dose may be offered in spring 2023;3. emergency surge vaccine responses may be required should a novel variant of concern emerge with clinically significant biological differences compared to the Omicron variant.The JCVI has also provided advice on the ongoing offer of initial Covid-19 vaccination (primary course) and 2021 booster dose offers (third dose). As the transition continues away from a pandemic emergency response towards pandemic recovery, the JCVI considers that the risk of severe Covid-19 continues to be disproportionately greater in those from older age groups, residents in care homes for older adults and for persons with certain underlying health conditions.The JCVI’s advice is that:1. the 2021 booster offer (third dose) for persons aged 16 to 49 years who are not in a clinical risk group should end in alignment with the close of the autumn 2022 vaccination campaign;2. otherwise healthy persons aged 5 to 49 years, who develop a new health condition in 2023 that places them in a clinical risk group would be offered primary vaccination and/or a booster vaccine during the next seasonal vaccination campaign, as appropriate. Vaccination outside these campaign periods would be subject to individual clinical judgement;3. primary course (initial doses) of Covid-19 vaccination should move, over the course of 2023, towards a more targeted offer during vaccination campaigns to protect those persons at higher risk of severe Covid-19; this would include:a) residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adultsb) frontline health and social care workersc) all adults aged 50 years and overd) persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk groupe) persons aged 12 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppressionf) persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers4. research should be considered to inform the optimal timing of booster vaccinations to protect against severe Covid-19 (hospitalisations and death) for groups who are at different levels of clinical risk.His Majesty's Government has accepted the JCVI’s advice. In England, the 2021 booster offer (third dose) for persons aged 16 to 49 years who are not in a clinical risk group will end in alignment with the close of the autumn 2022 campaign in England on 12 February 2023. The JCVI’s advice to target the initial vaccination (primary course) offer to those at higher risk from Covid-19 has been accepted by HMG subject to further consideration of timings.I am informed that all four parts of the UK intend to accept the JCVI’s advice on the same basis.I will update the House when further advice is received from the JCVI on the Covid-19 vaccination programmes recommended for 2023, including confirmation of whether a spring booster programme is advised.